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Scarlets notch derby victory

The Scarlets secured their place in next season's Champions Cup with a fine 34-23 derby victory over the Dragons on Friday.

The Scarlets secured their place in next season's Champions Cup with a fine 34-23 derby victory over the Dragons on Friday.

Scarlets were looking to bounce back from last week's derby defeat to Cardiff, while the Dragons were seeking to end an unwelcome winless run. The Dragons opened the scoring on 11 minutes though Kristopher Burton's penalty goal, but the lead did not last long, as Jake Ball popped up to grab the game's first try. Priestland added the conversion for Scarlets to make it 7-3, and his penalty on 24 minutes extended the hosts' lead.

And there was real daylight between the sides when Scarlets crossed for a quickfire brace of tries in the minutes that followed. First, Gareth Davies got over the line following good build-up play from the line-out, and then Jordan Williams finished off a flowing move to pile on the misery for the Dragons.

Priestland compounded the visitors' problems by converting both tries, but the Dragons gave themselves hope with a glut of points on the stroke of half-time. Burton kicked a penalty goal and then added the conversion to Tom Prydie's interception try to make it 24-13 at the break and, though Burton's penalty early in the second half narrowed the deficit even further, Ken Owens' score on the back of fine play by Priestland re-established a commanding cushion for Scarlets.

Prydie did grab a second try for the Dragons just before the hour to give the visitors a glimmer, but the hosts never lost control, and saw the game out to record a crucial bonus-point victory.